When you go through a divorce, even a nominally amicable or uncontested divorce, you don’t need to leave all of the knowledge of law in the hands of your Castle Rock divorce attorney.  Indeed, while it’s important to always acknowledge that your lawyer is the expert, with many years of training under their belt, it does not ever hurt to educate yourself a little.  By reading up and researching the laws and conditions that surround divorce in Colorado, you can have more productive conversations with your attorney, and ask better questions.

Uncontested divorce in Colorado is still a divorce, and still governed by similar laws to those that govern any divorce.

Depending on the nature of the divorce, there are many various forms that need to be filed to initiate and complete the process.  These forms include (but are not limited to):

• The petition, which can be filed by one partner, or both. In the case of uncontested divorce, the petition is often, but not always, filed by both partners.  Remember that Colorado is a “no fault” state, which means that there is only one valid reason for divorce: the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage.
• The case information sheet is required in many counties, and summarizes the details of the divorce situation.
• The Summons. A summons is a court document that initiates proceedings in the event that the two partners are not jointly filing for divorce. It gives the respondent time to respond to the allegations, and includes a temporary injunction against the dissipation of assets.  The summons is generally followed by a response from the party who did not file.

Other forms include a Notice to Set, a Notice of Domestic Relations Initial Status, Financial Statements, Separation Agreements, Worksheets, Support Orders, and more.  Familiarizing yourself with these requirements can save time when you sit down with your attorney and make the process go much smoother.